Sens Shot Predicting the Opening Day Lineup

[bicboi64]

White is not and will never be a first line NHL Center. if it wasn’t for his NHL contract he might have played his way to Belleville last season. I think Tierney will play first line Center until he is traded near the TDL. Norris and/or L. Brown might get to play line 2 or 3 center next season.

I'm hoping we roll 3 lines and don't have a typical 1st line, don't really think any of our line combo's are a legit 1st line. I just hope White is given a shot to shine and takes advantage of it. If he can establish himself as a proper centre in a top 6 role, his contract would be so valuable!

 

[Cosmix]

I'm hoping we roll 3 lines and don't have a typical 1st line, don't really think any of our line combo's are a legit 1st line. I just hope White is given a shot to shine and takes advantage of it. If he can establish himself as a proper centre in a top 6 role, his contract would be so valuable!

I hope White does improve and becomes a second line player. I am looking forward to seeing Norris and L. Brown play in the NHL at some point during the next season as I think they may have more offensive skill sets than White. Byfield and Stutzle probably require more time to mature and develop their skills before getting to play in the NHL. There is no benefit to rushing them given where this team is at this time.

 

[Sensfourlife]

That could be our lineup at some point during the year, but I find it hard to believe that Smith would go with two rookies at center on the top two lines while you have two way more experienced and decent centres in White and Tierney on lines 3 and 4.

Not to mention guys like Batherson and Tkachuk have barely wet their beaks in the league so you are putting alot of inexperience on the top 2 lines.

Still early though, alot is going to change between now and opening day but I would be thrilled if Norris had the type of camp that puts him as our #1 centre to start the year.

 

[Sensfourlife]

I'm hoping we roll 3 lines and don't have a typical 1st line, don't really think any of our line combo's are a legit 1st line. I just hope White is given a shot to shine and takes advantage of it. If he can establish himself as a proper centre in a top 6 role, his contract would be so valuable!

You have to play the young ones if we have no AHL live and learn with them.

 

[bicboi64]

You have to play the young ones if we have no AHL live and learn with them.

I agree. Having said that, if junior leagues aren't happening in North America, I hope whomever we draft or some of our AHL guys can play in Europe (don't know the complications/logistics of that). Any time of professional hockey is better than nothing

 

[Sweatred]

I'm hoping we roll 3 lines and don't have a typical 1st line, don't really think any of our line combo's are a legit 1st line. I just hope White is given a shot to shine and takes advantage of it. If he can establish himself as a proper centre in a top 6 role, his contract would be so valuable!

He has been given more of “a shot” to shine than any of the other prospects. He’s been handed $25 million and gifted NHL playing time while players like Brown and Bath are grinding out the AHL.

All that to say I don’t think you need to worry about him getting another shot ... I hope Form, Brown, Bath, Brann, Norris , Chap, VA can have their shot too.

 

[JD1]

A lot of guys saying the 3oa needs more dev time. The past 5 years, 5 of 7 forwards taken in the 2 and 3 slots played immediately in the nhl which is where Stutzle and Byfield will go. Stutzle has the history already in a mens league. Byfield is widely reported to be working out with NHLers with Gary Roberts. In Byfield's case, the option is NHL or junior and i don't see how a physically stronger Byfield benefits from junior.

Barring injury, I think we'll see Formenton, Norris and Batherson break camp with the big club.

And then from there, performance and injuries take over.

 

[bicboi64]

He has been given more of “a shot” to shine than any of the other prospects. He’s been handed $25 million and gifted NHL playing time while players like Brown and Bath are grinding out the AHL.

All that to say I don’t think you need to worry about him getting another shot ... I hope Form, Brown, Bath, Brann, Norris , Chap, VA can have their shot too.

The way i look at it is this, we're stuck with his contract, who'd take him off us? Might as well give him a chance to show he's worth it so we can decide if we wwant him as part of the future or to up his value to be able to sell him

 

[Cosmix]

Sens next year - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

CapFriendly.com Armchair-GM User-Generated Roster
FORWARDS (13)
Right wing: Drake Batherson ($736,666) - Connor Brown ($3,500,000) - Rūdolfs Balcers ($2,000,000) - Bobby Ryan ($7,250,000)
Centre: Chris Tierney ($3,000,000) - Logan Brown ($863,333) - Colin White ($4,750,000) - Filip Chlapik ($1,100,000) - Artem Anisimov ($4,550,000)
Left wing: Brady Tkachuk ($925,000) - Anthony Duclair ($3,500,000) - Nicholas Paul ($1,100,000) - Jayce Hawryluk ($1,100,000)
DEFENSE (7)
Right: Artem Zub ($925,000) - Erik Brännström ($863,333) - Nikita Zaitsev ($4,500,000) - Christian Jaros ($800,000)
Left: Thomas Chabot ($8,000,000) - Christian Wolanin ($900,000) - Mark Borowiecki ($1,500,000)
GOALTENDER (2)
Anders Nilsson ($2,600,000) - Marcus Högberg ($700,000)
AHL BURIED (1)
Mike Reilly ($425,000)
BUYOUTS (1)
Dion Phaneuf ($1,354,167)
DETAILS
Roster Size: 22
Salary Cap: $81,500,000
Cap Hit: $61,817,499
Cap Space: $19,682,501

Your cap hit is $1.6M over the Melnyk budget (aka the Cap Floor).

You have basically paid Tierney the same he was getting last season without a raise due to his RFA status.

Mike Reilly has a one-way contract and will not be sent down to the AHL so a roster space will have to be opened for him.

The raises you have given to C. Brown, Duclair, and Balcers will have to be scaled back.

So says the Budget Manager Melnyk.

 

[BoardsofCanada]

Sens next year - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

CapFriendly.com Armchair-GM User-Generated Roster
FORWARDS (13)
Right wing: Drake Batherson ($736,666) - Connor Brown ($3,500,000) - Rūdolfs Balcers ($2,000,000) - Bobby Ryan ($7,250,000)
Centre: Chris Tierney ($3,000,000) - Logan Brown ($863,333) - Colin White ($4,750,000) - Filip Chlapik ($1,100,000) - Artem Anisimov ($4,550,000)
Left wing: Brady Tkachuk ($925,000) - Anthony Duclair ($3,500,000) - Nicholas Paul ($1,100,000) - Jayce Hawryluk ($1,100,000)
DEFENSE (7)
Right: Artem Zub ($925,000) - Erik Brännström ($863,333) - Nikita Zaitsev ($4,500,000) - Christian Jaros ($800,000)
Left: Thomas Chabot ($8,000,000) - Christian Wolanin ($900,000) - Mark Borowiecki ($1,500,000)
GOALTENDER (2)
Anders Nilsson ($2,600,000) - Marcus Högberg ($700,000)
AHL BURIED (1)
Mike Reilly ($425,000)
BUYOUTS (1)
Dion Phaneuf ($1,354,167)
DETAILS
Roster Size: 22
Salary Cap: $81,500,000
Cap Hit: $61,817,499
Cap Space: $19,682,501

Balcers at 2M? What has he done to earn this salary? Personally I have not seen anything that shows he can be an effective player at the NHL level.

 

[Sensinitis]

Tkachuk-Byfield-Raymond/Perfetti
Duclair-L.Brown-Batherson
Formenton-Tierney-White
Balcers-Paul-Brown
Ryan

Chabot-Zub
Wolanin-Zaitsev
Brannstrom-Jaros
Reilly

Nilsson
Hogberg

Won’t happen but would be cool.

 

[Cosmix]

Tkachuk White Batherson
Dulcair L.Brown C.Brown
Formenton Tierny Ryan
Paul-Anisimov-Balcers

Chabot -Zaitsev
Wolanin Zub
Reilly Jaros

Nilsson/Hogberg

Switch White and Tierney, and add Norris/L. Brown to get my prediction. Just about right for Melnyk’s Cap Floor Budget. The 12th forward would be one of Norris, Chlapik, Hawryluk, or Sabourin. I am not sure if L. Brown is NHL ready at this time.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Tkachuk-White-C.Brown
Balcers-Brown-Paul
Formenton-Anisimov-Abramov
Chlapik-Norris-Watson

 

[Philadelphia Collins]

Not seeing him in most lineups but Hawryluk had a strong finish to the season and will come cheap, could see him having a connor brown type breakout next year for ~40 points

 

[NB613]

Revised lineup. Biggest changes were to align contracts for RFAs, and to get Sens to the ABSOLUTE cap floor (only 92K over).

Also planned out the AHL lineup which looks stacked!

Sens next year - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps
DETAILS
Roster Size: 22
Salary Cap: $81,500,000
Cap Hit: $61,292,499
Cap Space: $20,207,501

 

[Sensinitis]

Not seeing him in most lineups but Hawryluk had a strong finish to the season and will come cheap, could see him having a connor brown type breakout next year for ~40 points

I can see him being a solid 4th liner and an infinitely better option at that role compared to Sabourin, but I think you’re overrating him if you think he can hit 40 pts.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Not seeing him in most lineups but Hawryluk had a strong finish to the season and will come cheap, could see him having a connor brown type breakout next year for ~40 points

Hawrlyuk was a beast towards the end. I recall few Panthers fans and even beat writers upset that they gave up on him as he showed possible breakout as a solid top 9 player for them (think of the way we kinda view Abramov).

However, if he ever hits 30 points we hit the Byron waiver homerun. Especially cause of the wonderful gritty and fast motor game he plays; i agree though, he's on all my starting lineup hypothetical lists.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

No chance Lajoie makes the team? How come?

 

[Ouroboros]

No chance Lajoie makes the team? How come?

He sucks.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Revised lineup. Biggest changes were to align contracts for RFAs, and to get Sens to the ABSOLUTE cap floor (only 92K over).

Also planned out the AHL lineup which looks stacked!

Sens next year - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps
DETAILS
Roster Size: 22
Salary Cap: $81,500,000
Cap Hit: $61,292,499
Cap Space: $20,207,501

View attachment 365170 View attachment 365171 View attachment 365172 View attachment 365173

That NHL lineup is depressing lol

 

[NB613]

That NHL lineup is depressing lol

Depressing and realistic. Will likely ensure that we weed out the placeholders, develop prospects, while getting a top 10 draft pick next year. 21-22 will be first non-tanking year!

 

[bert]

A lot of guys saying the 3oa needs more dev time. The past 5 years, 5 of 7 forwards taken in the 2 and 3 slots played immediately in the nhl which is where Stutzle and Byfield will go. Stutzle has the history already in a mens league. Byfield is widely reported to be working out with NHLers with Gary Roberts. In Byfield's case, the option is NHL or junior and i don't see how a physically stronger Byfield benefits from junior.

Barring injury, I think we'll see Formenton, Norris and Batherson break camp with the big club.

And then from there, performance and injuries take over.

Byfield needs more time in Jr he just does, his game has so much room to grow. Each player is diffefent. Look at the steps Lafreniere took this year with the extra year there is no downside. He lost alot of dev time with covid this yesr too. Stutzle may just barge in and make the team even though id be fine with him staying in Germany for another year too if there is no AHL. With Brown, Balcers, Brannstrom, Zub, Wolanin, Formenton, Norris and Batherson all basically being rookies this upcoming season that is plenty of youth, almost too much to begin with. They aren't going to push for a playoff spot anyway, this years all about development. Hopefully DJ plays the young guys and they take real steps.

What I expect to see next season

Tkachuk Tierney C. Brown
Duclair L. Brown Batherson
Ryan Anisimov White
Formenton Paul Hawryluk
Norris Balcers

Chabot Zaitsev
Wolanin Zub
Rielly Jaros
Brannstrom

Nilsson
Hogberg

Injuries will happen, im sure players will move up and down.

 

[JD1]

Byfield needs more time in Jr he just does, his game has so much room to grow. Each player is diffefent. Look at the steps Lafreniere took this year with the extra year there is no downside. He lost alot of dev time with covid this yesr too. Stutzle may just barge in and make the team even though id be fine with him staying in Germany for another year too if there is no AHL. With Brown, Balcers, Brannstrom, Zub, Wolanin, Formenton, Norris and Batherson all basically being rookies this upcoming season that is plenty of youth, almost too much to begin with. They aren't going to push for a playoff spot anyway, this years all about development. Hopefully DJ plays the young guys and they take real steps.

What I expect to see next season

Tkachuk Tierney C. Brown
Duclair L. Brown Batherson
Ryan Anisimov White
Formenton Paul Hawryluk
Norris Balcers

Chabot Zaitsev
Wolanin Zub
Rielly Jaros
Brannstrom

Nilsson
Hogberg

Injuries will happen, im sure players will move up and down.

In Byfield's case, i think it is going to depend on just how much physical progress he made working out with Roberts. The man is huge and he can skate. But to me the issue is how much man strength does he have to go along with his height/size. On the one hand, sure he can build confidence playing in junior. On the other hand, how much development is there when you are physically vastly superior to your opponents? Hockey players play to win, and in the heat of the moment you do what you have to to win and that may not work for Byfield at the next level. It's too bad he can't go to the AHL. Rather than get locked in on a viewpoint in the summer, I'll wait to see how our 3oa does at camp knowing it can go either way.

 

[bert]

In Byfield's case, i think it is going to depend on just how much physical progress he made working out with Roberts. The man is huge and he can skate. But to me the issue is how much man strength does he have to go along with his height/size. On the one hand, sure he can build confidence playing in junior. On the other hand, how much development is there when you are physically vastly superior to your opponents? Hockey players play to win, and in the heat of the moment you do what you have to to win and that may not work for Byfield at the next level. It's too bad he can't go to the AHL. Rather than get locked in on a viewpoint in the summer, I'll wait to see how our 3oa does at camp knowing it can go either way.

Byfield's development has alot to do with being more consistent, defensive zone positioning and using his body down low to dominate physically on the cycle game while being a more well rounded offensive player. He needs reps lots and lots of reps he is not a mature player for his age whatsoever on or off the ice. If he was he would be pushing for number 1. If he goes right to the NHL it would literally be the least development a player has ever had to jump to the NHL. Even if Covid didnt happen he should go back to jr. He is literally still growing, there would be no hindrance in his development by going back in any way he is still learning to use his size. He also needs to get better on draws, he wont be a top 6 player at the NHL level yet. He only turned 18 three weeks ago. I see absolutely no benefit to him playing next year not to mention they burn a year before he becomes a UFA and they are going to be a really bad team. I think that if there are injuries maybe they keep him up gor a few games so he gets the NHL experience, however if its a late start to the season and that means he misses WJC camp then they should send him back right away.

 

[bicboi64]

The posts that argue for Byfield to spend time in junior have 100% solid points. My only concern is that he's already dominated junior. He had 82 points in 45 games, was a plus player and was truly a man amongst teens. He can still refine his game and improve in areas mentioned (defensive positioning, faceoffs, etc...) but there ought to be some communication with Sudbury to make sure he's asked to perform a different role besides pure offense (if we draft him).

Reason I'd want him down there is for our current multiple centre prospects/pieces to establish who they are going forward. Unless Byfield hits homeruns left and right in camp, no point him playing next season (which will most likely be a tank season, bottom 10 at best).